Drill pipe and propeller shaft



Jan.l 5,A 1932. P. H. GRANGER DRILL PIPE AND PROPELLER SHAFT Filed sept. 25, 1928 rml /7 w INVENTOR.

/Cfzz/.f @rangen BY @Ati 77%@ A TTORNEYJ Patented dan. 5; 1.932

narran STATES YAUL H. GRAN GER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA `DRILL PIPE AND PROPELLER SHAFT Application led September 245, 1928. SerialANo. 308,239.

rihis invention relates to a drill pipe and propeiler shaft structure adapted for use wherein a pipe is inserted in tubing and a rol tary propeller shaft disposed within the pipe 5 string. The invention contemplates self-con-v tained units which comprise a section of pipe and a propeller shaft, all arranged so that several units may be assembled to form a Y string of the length desired.

in the copending application, Ser. No. 805,190 for impact bits, filed by me Sept. 11, 1928, a bit is shown supported by a drill pipe and turnable thereby together with a rotary drive shaft for actuating mechanism to "5 reciprocate the bit. The presentinvention is particularly adaptable for use with sucha bit, but is not limited to such use.

The objects of this invention are first, to provide a unit comprising a. section of drill 20 pipe and a drive shaft rotatably mounted therein with ends including coupling members for adjacent units, fittings, or tools,

whereby the units may be joined in assembled relation by merely connecting the pipe by screw couplings; and second, to provide such a unit with slip couplings for the shaft sections.

These objects together with other objects and corresponding accomplishments are obo tained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in vertical section showing the upper end of an assemblage including a string of drill pipe coinpiising units, parts of the structure not pertnent to the present invention being partially shown; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a unit joined to adjacent units which latter are shown fragmentarily; Figs. 8 and 4 are sections as seen on the lines correspondingly numbered in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section showing details the thrust bearing construction. Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 indicate-s a well hole having the usual casing 6, which in hydraulic drilling is equipped with a casing head, not shown here- 0 in. Extending into the well hole and through the casing is a drill pipe string 7 having attached to the upper en-d a kelley bar 8 which is square in cross-section and slidingly extends through a rotary table 9 for the purpose of rotating the drill pipe. The kelley bar and rotary table are of a well known type of construction and form no part of the present invention.` The drill pipe string is swivelled to a mud chamber 10 having an inlet 11 vfor mud communicating with the bore of the drill pipe. Extending vcentrally through the drill pipe is a rotary drive shaft string 12. The upper end of the drive shaft string passes through a stuiiing box 13 and is operated by an electric motor 14 mounted upon the mud chamber. Gbviously, the drill pipe and the drive shaft may be rota-ted at diiferent speeds.

vThe invention resides particularly in the .units comprising the drill pipe stringas best shown `in Figs. 2, 3 and Li. InFig. 2, the inembers of a unit are shownextending coextensive withv the line marked A. A joint of pipe 15 is externally tapered at the ends as indicated by 15a and 15b. Mounted `upon the end 15a is a coupling collar 16 having a box end 16a.` Spanning the collar is a bearing bridge ,17 suitably secured to the collar and having an opening to'receive a drive shaft section 18. Secured to the lower endof the joint of pipe is a coupling collar 19 having anl externally vtapered and threaded pin end 19a serving for attachment to an adjoining -unitfhav'ing a box pin corresponding tothe box end 16e. Vithin the coupling collar and spanning the latter is a bearing bridge 20 f Lrotatably supporting drive shaft section 18.

The drive shaft section has complementary ends serving as coupling members for slipcouplings. yThe upper end is shown as a box 421 having a square bore tapering downwardly. The lower fend of the shaft'section 18 bore'of the box end. The pin end is designed to be slipped within the box end of an adjoining section of drive shaft to couple them i The string of piping is set up vby screwing has asquare pin end 22 corresponding to the string and turned by the rotarytable. The

drive shaft may be independently rotated by means of the motor and may be connected to such lmechanism in the tool as it is desired to operate atthe bottom of the pipe string.

What I claim is:

l. Af drill pipe and drive shaft unit com- .prisinga oint of piping With screw threaded couplings at the ends adapted for attachment to like joints, thrust bearings in said joints of piping, a drive shaft section rotatably mounted in said bearings and having thrust means coacting Withy said' bearings t0 maintain said drive shaft sectionv in longitudinal placement, andV slip joint coupling members at the ends of said shaft section adapted for connection to shaft sections in adjoining units.

' 2'. Adrill pipe' and drive shaft unit comprising a joint of piping with screw threadedfcouplings at the ends adapted for attachmentto; like joints, thrust bearings in said joint of piping, a drive shaft section rotatablyk lmounted in said bearings and having thrust means coacting With said bearingsto maintain saiddrive shaft section in longitudinali placement, and complementary slip joint' coupling members at the ends of said `'shaft adapted for connection to corresponding shaft sections in adjoining joints.

3i A drillfpipe and drive shaft unit comends, coupling sleeves threaded to the ends of said pipe section, one of said sleeves having a threaded pin end and the other a corresponding socket end, thrust bearings extending across said couplings, a drive shaft rotatably supported in said bearings and having thrust means coacting With one of said bearings and having complementary slip coupling members at its ends.

in Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed-my name this 11th day of September, 1928.

' PAUL H. GRANGER.

prisinga joint of piping With screw threaded A couplings at the ends adapted for attachmentft'olike'joints, thrust bearings in said 'jointoffI piping, a drive shaft rotatably mountedi|` in said bearings and having a thrust collar coacting. with one of said bearings, and slip joint coupling members at the ends of s'alidshaft section adapted for connection to shaft'` sections'in adjoining units. 4f; Ai drill= pipe and drive shaft unit comprisingAa-joint of piping With screw threadedc'ouplingsat the ends adapted for attachment tov like joints, thrust bearings in said join'tA of' piping, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in saidy bearings having athrust lc'olla'rcoactingWith. one of said bearings and complementary' slip joint coupling members atthel endsof' said shaft section adapted for connection to correspond-ing shaft sections i'nia'd-joining units.

5 A drill pipeandy drive shaft unit comprising va j ointA ofl pipe sectionthreaded at its 

